Wooo! A DOUBLE update in one day? That's never happened before. Hope you enjoy the two chapters this week because I'm taking this week off to write a story for a publication deadline. (Now to just figure out what I'm going to write about.) LOL. Thanks for reading!

After walking in silence for what seemed like forever, I slowed to a halt.

Jaxon stopped a few paces ahead of me. "What's up?"

I stared at the guild gates, then glanced over at him. "I've been the biggest pain in the ass for you. Haven't I?"

"What? You?" He chuckled and walked back to where I stood, zipping his leather coat.

"Stop it." I gave him a shove. "I'm serious."

"Is this one of those trick questions, that if I agree with you, I'm seen as uncaring, or if I disagree with you I'm seen as unsupportive? And worse, if I say nothing I'm the unresponsive arse that's both uncaring and unsupportive?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and rolled back on his heels. "Given that I've probably going to get skewered no matter what my answer, would you mind telling me why you ask?"

That had to be the most politically thought out answer I'd ever heard. But he had a point. "I just wanted to say thank-you, you know for everything."

"You do?" he said sounding surprised. "People don't usually thank me for stuff. I don't know. Maybe it's because they just expect me to take care of things. But when you disappeared, I wasn't sure I'd ever get the chance to take care of you. Now that you're here..." His voice trailed off as he searched for something in his pocket. He pulled out the diamond ring he'd given me just over a week ago. "I found it on your nightstand when you were still in recovery."

He lifted my hand in his and placed the ring in my palm. "I know the custom of a girl wearing your ring doesn't mean anything here on Acklemar." He let out a long breath and ran his fingers through his trimmed hair. "But for some reason, it does to me."

I pinched the ring between my index finger and thumb, watching it sparkle in the fading afternoon sun.

His shoulders slumped, and he kicked at an imaginary rock on the ground, that seemed to have some magnetic pull over his attention.

The truth was Jax had been there whenever I needed him. He even decided to stand with me, and not his father, to get my mom out of that hell hole of a cell. I wouldn't have made it past that rigged door set to blow our heads off, without Jax's help. And here he was still holding out hope—for me.

He kicked the ground another time, then headed toward the gate without me.

I was the worst person ever for putting him through everything I had. We were about to be partnered in three days, and Kellan still consumed my every thought.

Kellan. The two of us will be lucky enough to escape with our lives—forget each other. And here's Jaxon standing by me once again, off to save the one guy in the universe he hates.

I tried to swallow the massive knot in my throat, slid the ring on my finger and chased after him. "Jax, wait up!"

He spied the ring on my hand. "You're going to wear it?"

"After everything you've done, it's the least I can do." I gave him half a smile. "I did promise to try and make this work. And it's about time I started." I reached out and interlaced my fingers with his. "United front, right?"

"Right." But before we took another step, he tugged my pack from my shoulder and added the load to his.

Just beyond the wall, Elena and the guards saddled up on four prongmeras, adjusting their gear. To me, the beasts looked like dinosaurs with their long tails and scaly skin.

Next to them, Rygar held the reins of two equestars. I hadn't seen one since I'd been home. When I was little, my father told me they were related to horses found on Earth. Now, after seeing a horse, I could see the resemblance. The biggest difference was there leathery skin that covered their face and legs. I tilted my head, studying the creature. I guess their spooky emerald green eyes, would freak a few people out back home too.

Rygar handed the reins to Jaxon, then grabbed his pack and two staffs from the wall.

"Catch!" He tossed the staff at me.

I snatched it out of the air and gave it a spin, testing its weight. "Thanks. Let's hope I don't need it."

Vega and Sage heaved their stuff on the back of a wagon hitched to one of the progmeras the guards rode.

"Brahaaawk." A lone progmeras shoved through the mess of carts, beasts, and people, galloping toward me. Circling its eye, a darker patch of grey gave it the appearance of having one black eye.

"Amaress?"

The beast slowed to a trot, then walked the last few paces forward. It nudged my hand with its muzzle and balked again, wagging its tail.

"Stubborn creature." Elena shook her head. "It must have overheard your name when we were loading up and decided to follow us. I had one of the guards take it back to the stables—twice." The beast she perched on lurched forward trying to reach some grass, and she tightened the reins in her hand. "Wasn't any good though. The next morning the silly thing was curled up outside of our tents next to the fire."

"You just wanted to see me." I stroked her pebbly hide, one hand over the other. "You missed me. Didn't you girl?"

"Since you—" Elena paused, looked over at Jax as if searching for the right word not to offend him. "Went away. No one's been able to ride her since, and most days she just stares at the stable gates. She's got a mind of her own, that one."

I rested my hand against her warm hide, letting my chilled fingers absorb some of her heat. "Aren't we the pair?"

Jaxon chuckled. She sounds like someone I know.

I hugged Amaress' neck, resting my cheek on her rough skin and she purred softly in response.

"I'm not surprised she found you. Prong's are good trackers." Jaxon paced a few feet closer.

The purring stopped, and Amaress' skin went cold. She craned her neck and snarled at Jax.

"Hey, Jaxon. Looks like you have some more competition." Sage propped her elbows on the side of the cart, with a big smirk plastered on her face.

Jaxon glared at Sage but didn't move any closer to me, with Amaress still growling.

I ran a hand along her neck. "Shhh. It's all right girl. Shhh. Stay calm, Jaxon isn't going to hurt me."

Her growling halted, but she continued to keep her sight on him, almost daring him to take another step closer.

"Don't take it personally, Jax. Amaress doesn't like Kellan either. She even shoved him off a cliff once, just for trying to hold my hand."

"Then in that case, maybe she'll come in handy yet." He gave her a nod, then pulled a pack from his shoulders and tied it to his equestar's saddle.

Elena's brow raised, but she said nothing in response. It appeared Vega continued to monitor the silent thoughts of those present, with her glancing from person to person. When she looked at me, she waved and pointed toward the guild.

My mother with her steel-grey dress uniform flaring around her heels, jogged closer with something in her hand. She slowed to a walk when she realized we'd seen her, coughing as she approached.

"You're definitely not coming," I said when she finally got close enough to hear me.

Still panting for breath, she scooped her arms around me in a firm hug. "Always protecting the ones you love, aren't you?" She squeezed me tighter before releasing me. "No, I haven't quite recovered from everything yet, so I wouldn't be much use if you needed me to be."

I wondered if she'd ever get better. Her pale skin and slight movements showed how much of a toll the three years of confinement had taken on her.

"Good, because I didn't want to leave Sage behind to make sure you were following doctor's orders."

"Celeste! What are you doing out here in the cold?" Sage called from the cart. "You've been told..."

"I'm leaving." My mom held up a hand acknowledging Sage's request and coughed again. "Demanding isn't she." She passed me the puzzle box my dad had made for me. "I couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye, and I thought this might come in handy too."

I shook the wooden box, and it rattled.

My mom coughed and held her chest. "See you in a few days. ...And there's nothing missy over there can do to stop me."

"Right, the wedding. I guess this isn't the traditional way most girls prepare for their big day."

She let out a short laugh that rolled over into another cough. "No, I suppose not. But then again, most girls aren't you."

"Celeste. You're supposed to be resting inside," Sage said sounding more like my Gran by the second with her demands.

"Stay safe." She pulled me into another hug.

"Wren, you coming?" Jaxon hollered from the saddle of an equestar.

"I've gotta go," I whispered into her ear.

She didn't say anything, just simply nodded into my shoulder. When she let me go, her eyes glistened with tears she tried to hold back.

"May the circle harbor your safety and protect your journey." She squeezed my hand one last time, then turned back toward the guild.

I'd only made it ten paces before Amaress cut me off, wagging her tail like a puppy ready to play. Jaxon held out the reins for the other equestar.

"If it's all right, I think I'll ride Amaress." I held out my hand for her to sniff.

"We don't have another saddle for her, though," Elena said making it sound impossible to ride her.

Jaxon gave me a hesitant look. "Wren, maybe you should—"

"Would everyone stop their worrying? I assure you I'm not made of glass." I brushed my fingers along Amaress' neck. When my palm rested on her shoulder, she bent her leg, and I stepped up and plunked down on her back. "Besides I've ridden Amaress bareback since I was a kid."

Rygar took the reins from Jax and hopped up to mount the horse-like creature. "Birdie, I believe you could fly if you wanted to. Come on, let's get out of here."